Supporting structure and basket

ABSTRACT

A basket is provided with an upper hook secured to its rear portion and first and second elongated lower clip means pivoted adjacent to the lower left and right corners of the basket. These first and second clip means are in the form of baseplates pivoted to the corner portions and extending to terminate in free ends in resilient clips such that the same may be swung in a plane parallel to the plane of the rear of the basket. The arrangement is such that the upper hook may readily be positioned about a horizontal tubular frame structure and the lower clips positioned spatially to engage other tubular members of the frame structure to stabilize the position of the basket. Such frame structures may constitute bedside rails in hospitals or portable walkers for crippled people.

I United States Patent 1 3,586,276

[72] lnventor Richard A. O'Mahoney 3,126,186 3/1964 Halligan 248/311Burbank, Calif. 2,400,829 9/1968 Youngson 211/128 [21] Appl. No. 838,1833,473,772 10/1969 Nilson 248/311 {22] Filed 1969 Primary Examiner-MarionParsons, Jr. [45] Patented June 22, 1971 A me Pastoriza & Ken 73Assignee Velcor Y [54] SUPPORTING STRUCTURE AND BASKET ABSTRACT A basketis provided with an upper hook 3 Claims. 1 Drawing Fig. secured to itsrear portion and first and second elongated lower cllp means pivoted adacent to the lower left and rlght U.S. comers of he basket These firstand second means are in 248M501 248/25, 248/ 31 248/360 the form ofbaseplates pivoted to the comer portions and ex- [51] Int. Cl A471: l/04tending to terminate in f ends in resilient u such that h [50] Field ofSearch 248/128, same may be swung in a plane n to the plane f the rear150, 25311324340359, 360 of the basket. The arrangement is such that theupper hook may readily be ositioned. about a horizontal tubular frame[561 References Cited structure and th: lower clips positioned spatiallyto engage UNITED STATES PATENTS other tubular members of the framestructure to stabilize the 2,289,695 7/1942 Bryant 248/150 position ofthe basket. Such frame structures may constitute 2,633,278 3/1953 Muniz248/31 1 bedside rails in hospitals or portable walkers for crippledpeo- 2,746,527 5/1956 Liebich ple.

PATENTED JUH22|97| 3586276- INVENTOI?! RICHARD A. O'MAHONEY BY 5mm 97%a),

ATTORN S.

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE AND BASKET This invention relates generally tobasket structures and more particularly to a unique basket with securingmeans for cooperation with a supporting tubular frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is very desirable to provide some type ofcontainer or carrying means such as a basket for use by patients inhospitals alongside their bed or for attachment to tubular frames suchas walkers for the convenience of partially crippled patients.

Since bedside stands or railings are of various geometricalconfigurations and likewise since tubular frame type walkers are ofvarying dimensions, there is no ready means for easily attaching abasket or other container to the structure for use by a patient. Eithera basket structure with suitable securing means must be specificallyfabricated for a particular type of frame structure, in which case it isadaptable to only one particular use, or some permanent type of securingmeans must be used in which case it is very time consuming to remove thebasket or container or reposition the basket or container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Bearing the foregoingconsiderations in mind, it is a primary object of the present inventionto provide a unique basket structure particularly useful in combinationwith a supporting tubular frame such as a bedside stand, rail structure,or walker wherein problems encountered heretofore with the securementand release of such baskets are overcome.

More particularly, the invention contemplates a basket incorporatingfastening means having a relatively wide adjustment range so as toreadily adapt the fastening to various different types of tubularsupport frames. In the preferred embodiment, the basket includes anupper hook means secured to the upper rear portion of the basketdefining an upper hook above the upper edge of the rear portion. Firstand second elongated lower clip means in turn have base ends pivotedadjacent to the lower left and right comers of the basket and extendingsecond ends terminating in resilient clips for swinging movement in aplane parallel to the plane of the rear of the basket.

With the foregoing arrangement, the upper hook may encircle a horizontalportion of a tubular frame to suspend the basket and the resilient clipsmay then be spatially positioned to engage other portions of the tubularframe and thus stabilize the basket in a desired position.

Since only a hook and resilient clip structures are employed, it is veryeasy to secure or remove the baskets from the frame structure. Moreover,the pivoting arrangement of the first and second lower clip meanspermits the same to be readily swung or folded into positions such thatthey lie against the rear portion with the extending resilient hooksadjacent to the upper hook means, thereby providing a compact basketstructure for storing or shipping purposes when not in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING A better understanding of the inventionwill be had by referring to a preferred embodiment thereof as disclosedin the accompanying drawing in which:

The single FIG. constitutes a fragmentary perspective view of a tubularframe structure showing the basket of this invention secured thereto ina desired position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to thedrawing, there is shown a basket or container having an upper hook meansdesignated generally by the numeral 11 secured to the rear upper portionof the basket. First and second lower clip means designated generally bythe numerals 12 and 13 in turn are secured adjacent the lower leftandright-hand comers of the rear portion of the basket.

The foregoing described hook and first and second clip means arearranged to be secured to a tubular frame structure which mightconstitute a horizontal portion 14 about which the hook means 11 ispositioned and other tubular portions which may be horizontal orvertical or even angulated such as indicated at 15 and 16 for receivingthe first and second clip means 12 and 13.

In the preferred construction, the upper hook means 11 is in the form ofa single elongated bent rod having its ends 17 and 18 secured in spacedpositions to the rear portion of the basket 10. These ends extendgenerally parallel to each other in an upper direction and thence curverearwardly over as indicated at 19 and 20, and thence extend laterallytowards each other to connect together at 21. There is thus defined anupper hook for engaging about a horizontal tubular member as describedat 14, which hook is simple and rugged in construction and provides adesirable support for suspending the basket while inhibiting swinging ofthe basket in the plane of its rear surface.

Each of the lower resilient clips 12 and 13 are identical inconstruction and therefore a detailed description of one will sufficefor both. Thus, referring to the resilient clip means 12, the structureincludes a baseplate 22 pivoted at 23 to the lower rear left portion ofthe basket 10 for swinging or pivoting movement about an axis A. Firstand second parallel rods 24 and 25 in turn extend from the baseplate 22and terminate in a clip plate 26 to which a resilient clip 27 is pivotedas at 28. The arrangement is such that the resilient clip 27 may berotated about an axis B which runs parallel to and is spaced from theaxis A. The resilient clip 27 faces rearwardly as shown but its entranceslot may be aligned either horizontally, vertically, or at any anglethere between.

The distance between the pivot axes A and B designated d and liesbetween one-half and one times the vertical length L of the basket 10.Further, these axes are both normal to the plane of the rear of thebasket 10 so that swinging movement of the resilient clip 27 can takeplace in a plane parallel to this plane.

In the drawing, the clip means 13 is shown in a pivoted to spatiallyposition its corresponding resilient clip at a desired distance from theresilient clip 27 of the first clip means 12.

OPERATION The operation of the fastening means will be evident from theforegoing description. Initially, when it is desired to attach thebasket to a bedside frame structure or to a walker or other tubularframe, the upper hook means 11 is simply positioned over a horizontaltubular member such as the member 14 described. With this fastening, thebasket 10 is suspended but is still capable of swinging movement in afore-and-aft direction as viewed in the drawing.

The foregoing movement of the basket is stabilized by the first andsecond resilient clip means 12 and 13. These clip means are suitablypivoted to position the resilient clips themselves spatially such thatthe same can receive in clipping engagement other tubular portions ofthe frame structure. For example, the resilient clip 27 has been pivotedabout its pivot axis B relative to the clip plate 26 so that itsentrance opening is horizontal to receive a lower horizontal tubularmember 15. The second clip means 13, on the other hand, has been swunglaterally and its corresponding resilient clip positioned with itsentrance opening vertical to receive the lower portion of the tubularmember 16.

The pivots themselves are provided with some friction so that after theclip means have been pivoted and the resilient clips themselves pivotedto desired positions, they will ordinarily stay in such position until apositive force is applied. Accordingly, the basket is completelystabilized by the first and second lower clips.

Because of the relatively long length of the clip means as defined bythe distance d, the resilient clips themselves may assume many differentspatial positions relative to the upper hook means and thus thefastening for the basket is readily adaptable to different geometries oftubular frames, the basket itself always being positioned upright asshown.

When the basket is not in use and it is desired to store the same orperhaps ship the same to another location, the first and second clipmeans 12 and 13 may be swung completely about their pivot axes toupright positions such that the outer rods (for example, the rod 24 forthe first clip means 12) engage respectively the ends 17 and 18 of theupper hook means. Since the distance dis less than L, there will be nooverlapping projections beyond the exterior borders of the rear surfaceof the basket so that a compact configuration results. Further, theengagement of the outer rods of the clip means with the ends 17 and 18of the upper hook means will prevent further inward swinging of the clipmeans so that a neat packaging results.

From the foregoing description, it will be evident that the presentinvention has provided a greatly improved basket for use with thevarious different types of tubular supporting structures all to the endthat great convenience is provided particularly for patients in hospitalbeds or partial cripples who rely on a walker for mobility.

What I claim is:

1. In a supporting structure comprised of tubular members, at least oneof which extends horizontally a basket for attachment to said structureincluding, in combination: an upper hook means in the form of acontinuous bent rod having its end portions secured to an upper rearportion of said basket, said end portions extending upwardly and thencecurving over 180 rearwardly to extend downwardly and thence laterallytowards each other to connect together and thereby define a hook forengaging over said one of the tubular members extending horizontally;and first and second lower clip means disposed respectively adjacent tothe lower left and right rear comer portions of said basket, each ofsaid lower hook means including a baseplate pivoted to the rear comerportion of said basket; elongated parallel rods extending from saidbaseplate in a plane parallel to the rear plane of said basket andterminating in a clip plate; and a resilient clip pivoted to said clipplate and facing rearwardly, the axes of pivoting movement of saidbaseplate and resilient clip being normal to said plane, parallel toeach other, and spaced apart by a distance between one-half and onetimes the vertical length of said basket, whereby the resilient clips ofsaid lower clip means may be adjustably positioned to engage in clippingrelationship others of said tubular members to thereby stabilize theposition of said basket on said supporting structure.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, in which said lower clip means mayeach be swung around in to positions such that the outer ones of theparallel rods lie flush against said end portions of said upper hookmeans to thereby provide a compact basket structure for storing orshipping purposes when not in use.

3. In a supporting structure comprised of tubular members, at least oneof which extends horizontally, a basket for attachment to said structureincluding, in combination: an upper means in the form of a continuousbent rod having its end portions secured to an upper rear portion ofsaid basket for engaging over said one of the tubular members extendinghorizontally; and first and second lower clip means disposedrespectively adjacent to the lower left and right rear corner portionsof said basket, each of said lower hook means including a baseplatepivoted to the rear corner portion of said basket; elongated parallelrods extending from said baseplate laterally and terminating in a clipplate; and a resilient clip pivoted to said clip plate and facingrearwardly, the axes of pivoting movement of said baseplate andresilient clip being substantially normal to the rear plane of saidbasket, parallel to each other, and spaced apart by a distance betweenonehalf and one times the length of said basket whereby the resilientclips of said lower hook means may be adjustably positioned to engage inclipping relationship others of said tubular members to therebystabilize the position of said basket on said supporting structure.

1. In a supporting structure comprised of tubular members, at least oneof which extends horizontally a basket for attachment to said structureincluding, in combination: an upper hook means in the form of acontinuous bent rod having its end portions secured to an upper rearportion of said basket, said end portions extending upwardly and thencecurving over 180* rearwardly to extend downwardly and thence laterallytowards each other to connect together and thereby define a hook forengaging over said one of the tubular members extending horizontally;and first and second lower clip means disposed respectively adjacent tothe lower left and right rear corner portions of said basket, each ofsaid lower hook means including a baseplate pivoted to the rear cornerportion of said basket; elongated parallel rods extending from saidbaseplate in a plane parallel to the rear plane of said basket andterminating in a clip plate; and a resilient clip pivoted to said clipplate and facing rearwardly, the axes of pivoting movement of saidbaseplate and resilient clip being normal to said plane, parallel toeach other, and spaced apart by a distance between one-half and onetimes the vertical length of said basket, whereby the resilient clips ofsaid lower clip means may be adjustably positioned to engage in clippingrelationship others of said tubular members to thereby stabilize theposition of said basket on said supporting structure.
 2. The subjectmatter of claim 1, in which said lower clip means may each be swungaround in to positions sUch that the outer ones of the parallel rods lieflush against said end portions of said upper hook means to therebyprovide a compact basket structure for storing or shipping purposes whennot in use.
 3. In a supporting structure comprised of tubular members,at least one of which extends horizontally, a basket for attachment tosaid structure including, in combination: an upper means in the form ofa continuous bent rod having its end portions secured to an upper rearportion of said basket for engaging over said one of the tubular membersextending horizontally; and first and second lower clip means disposedrespectively adjacent to the lower left and right rear corner portionsof said basket, each of said lower hook means including a baseplatepivoted to the rear corner portion of said basket; elongated parallelrods extending from said baseplate laterally and terminating in a clipplate; and a resilient clip pivoted to said clip plate and facingrearwardly, the axes of pivoting movement of said baseplate andresilient clip being substantially normal to the rear plane of saidbasket, parallel to each other, and spaced apart by a distance betweenone-half and one times the length of said basket whereby the resilientclips of said lower hook means may be adjustably positioned to engage inclipping relationship others of said tubular members to therebystabilize the position of said basket on said supporting structure.